The Mitten Channel

The Mitten Channel
  • 4.9 (15)
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 The Mitten Channel is a Michigan podcast and media network created by former Genesee County Prosecutor Arthur Busch. We produce original programs that blend legal expertise, investigative storytelling, and deep Michigan history — including true crime analysis, environmental investigations, employee rights, and rich biographies rooted in Flint’s working-class culture.Our mission is to preserve Michigan stories, examine the systems that shape our communities, and give voice to the people who define our industrial past and future.Mitten Channel Podcast Shows:  Radio Free Flint, Flint Justice, The Mitten Works, Mitten Environmental and The Mitten Biography ProjectTo listen to full audio podcast interviews visit https://www.radiofreeflint.media  Radio Free Flint is a production of the Mitten Channel where you can find podcast shows Mitten Environmental, Flint Justice, The Mitten Works.  

  1. The Age of Anxiety: Political Media, Dementia, and the Boomer Fear

    DEC 15

    The Age of Anxiety: Political Media, Dementia, and the Boomer Fear

    The Age of Anxiety: Political Media, Dementia, and the Boomer Fear In Michigan living rooms—from Flint to Saginaw to small towns up north—older Americans watch political news that feels less like reporting and more like a public trial of aging itself. Every stumble, verbal slip, or moment of confusion by national leaders is clipped, replayed, and mocked. For older viewers, this coverage is not abstract or partisan. It is personal. This investigative audio essay examines how constant media focus on age and cognition quietly harms older adults, especially in aging, post-industrial communities. Drawing on research in psychology, aging, and media studies, it explores fear of dementia, stigma, loneliness, and how political spectacle fuels anxiety, withdrawal, and disengagement from democracy. As Michigan approaches critical elections, this episode asks a deeper question: What happens to a democracy when aging itself is treated as entertainment—and dignity is the cost?  #TheAgeOfAnxiety  #InvestigativeAudio  #AgingInAmerica  #MediaAndDemocracy  #MichiganPolitics  #BoomerGeneration  #CognitiveHealth  #PublicWellBeing  We would like to hear from you! Send us a Text. The Mitten Channel is a network of podcasts.   👉 Subscribe to Radio Free Flint Podcasts at The Mitten Channel: Don't miss our full investigative Podcasts: Radio Free Flint: The community perspective on industrial resilience. The Mitten Works: Labor history and economic policy analysis. Flint Justice: Legal and institutional analysis of the state's challenges. Visit Our Website for both Podcasts, Videos & Articles.

    7 min
  2. Inside Detroit’s 99th Thanksgiving Parade:On-the-Ground Coverage by Arthur Busch

    DEC 12

    Inside Detroit’s 99th Thanksgiving Parade:On-the-Ground Coverage by Arthur Busch

    Join Arthur Busch on location in downtown Detroit as he takes you inside the magic of the 99th Annual America’s Thanksgiving Parade. In this special field-report episode, Arthur walks Woodward Avenue, captures the sights and sounds of the morning, and talks directly with the people who make this iconic tradition come alive. From families bundled up in the cold, to lifelong Detroiters describing what the parade means to them, to first-timers experiencing the floats, balloons, and Big Heads with wide-eyed excitement—this episode brings you the street-level spirit of a Detroit Thanksgiving. Arthur reflects on the city’s resilience, the legacy of the parade, and why moments like this matter to Michigan’s identity. If you couldn’t make it downtown, this episode puts you right there at the curbside. 🎧 Listen for: Candid conversations with parade-goersAtmosphere and live sounds from Woodward AvenueArthur’s insights on Detroit’s holiday traditions and community prideA snapshot of Detroit’s energy heading into the holiday seasonA warm, uplifting Michigan story—perfect for Thanksgiving week. We would like to hear from you! Send us a Text. The Mitten Channel is a network of podcasts.   👉 Subscribe to Radio Free Flint Podcasts at The Mitten Channel: Don't miss our full investigative Podcasts: Radio Free Flint: The community perspective on industrial resilience. The Mitten Works: Labor history and economic policy analysis. Flint Justice: Legal and institutional analysis of the state's challenges. Visit Our Website for both Podcasts, Videos & Articles.

    9 min
  3. She Dodged Bullets for the UAW — and Her Legacy Still Haunts the Auto Industry

    DEC 12

    She Dodged Bullets for the UAW — and Her Legacy Still Haunts the Auto Industry

    In 1937, a 23-year-old Flint woman stood between General Motors security, Flint police gunfire, and the workers fighting for their lives inside Fisher Body. Her name was Genora Johnson Dollinger — and she did more than rally the Women’s Emergency Brigade. She dodged bullets for the UAW and helped spark a labor uprising that reshaped the American middle class. This episode begins with a cinematic reenactment of the Flint Sit-Down Strike and Genora’s electrifying moment on the picket line. From her kitchen-table organizing to the chaos outside the plants, Genora’s bravery becomes the doorway into a deeper story about labor, power, and the long shadow cast over America’s auto industry. 🔍 What This Episode Explores • The Real Genora Johnson Dollinger A young mother who stepped into leadership during a crisis — and became one of the most important (and overlooked) women in American labor history. • The Strike That Built the Middle Class The 1937 Sit-Down wasn’t just a labor dispute. It changed wages, dignity, and economic mobility for millions of American families. • The Debate That Still Divides Michigan Did the UAW negotiate such generous contracts that GM was forced to flee Michigan for low-wage states, Mexico, and China? —or— Did GM’s executives practice financial engineering, enriching themselves while starving plants of investment and innovation? • How Genora’s Legacy Still Haunts the Auto Industry The decisions made in Flint in 1937 — by workers and by corporate leaders — still shape: labor costs global outsourcing the collapse of industrial cities the rise of the non-union South today’s EV-era labor battles Genora’s courage is a lens for understanding how the middle class was built — and how it unraveled. 🎶 Ending with a Flint Ballad: “1937 When Fires Burn” The episode concludes with the hauntingly beautiful song “1937 When Fires Burn,” written by Flint musicians Dan Hall and David Norris for the Flint Labor Museum. Told from the perspective of a striking worker, the song vividly captures: cold nights inside the occupied plants tension with police the grit of Flint’s working class the fire of a movement rising It is the perfect emotional arc to close this story. 🇺🇸 Why Genora Johnson Still Matters Her voice remains a reminder that the fight for economic justice — and the decisions that shape American industry — always begin with ordinary people willing to stand in extraordinary moments. 📺 Subscribe to The Mitten Channel For cinematic Michigan stories, deep dives into labor history, and original reporting from America’s industrial heartland. We would like to hear from you! Send us a Text. The Mitten Channel is a network of podcasts.   👉 Subscribe to Radio Free Flint Podcasts at The Mitten Channel: Don't miss our full investigative Podcasts: Radio Free Flint: The community perspective on industrial resilience. The Mitten Works: Labor history and economic policy analysis. Flint Justice: Legal and institutional analysis of the state's challenges. Visit Our Website for both Podcasts, Videos & Articles.

    18 min
  4. When Flint Fought Back: Genora Johnson and the Strike That Changed America

    DEC 12 · BONUS

    When Flint Fought Back: Genora Johnson and the Strike That Changed America

    In 1937, a 23-year-old Flint woman stood between General Motors security, Flint police gunfire, and the workers fighting for their lives inside Fisher Body.  Her name was Genora Johnson Dollinger — and she did more than rally the Women’s Emergency Brigade. She dodged bullets for the UAW and helped spark a labor uprising that reshaped the American middle class. This episode begins with a cinematic reenactment of the Flint Sit-Down Strike and Genora’s electrifying moment on the picket line. From her kitchen-table organizing to the chaos outside the plants, Genora’s bravery becomes the doorway into a deeper story about labor, power, and the long shadow cast over America’s auto industry. We would like to hear from you! Send us a Text. 👉 Subscribe to Radio Free Flint Podcasts at The Mitten Channel: Don't miss our full investigative Podcasts: Radio Free Flint: The community perspective on industrial resilience. The Mitten Works: Labor history and economic policy analysis. Flint Justice: Legal and institutional analysis of the state's challenges. Visit Our Website for both Podcasts, Videos & Articles.

    1 min
  5. DETROIT RISING: A Photo Tour of Motor City's Amazing Comeback | The Mitten Channel

    DEC 8

    DETROIT RISING: A Photo Tour of Motor City's Amazing Comeback | The Mitten Channel

    Welcome to the Detroit comeback. With a voice as warm and familiar as the streets themselves, we take a tour of the Motor City's stunning revitalization. From the iconic RenCen and the architecture of the Whitney Building to the vibrant Riverwalk and the energy of the city's sports scene, this video captures the enduring, tough, and durable spirit of Detroit. This is more than a travel documentary; it’s an ode to the city that refuses to quit. As the "big brother" to the state's industrial heartland, Detroit's story of resilience mirrors the community spirit we champion on our network. The Mitten Channel is dedicated to exploring the true policy and labor history behind the Michigan experience. If you love the complexity behind the comeback, subscribe to our hub! We would like to hear from you! Send us a Text. The Mitten Channel is a network of podcasts.   👉 Subscribe to Radio Free Flint Podcasts at The Mitten Channel: Don't miss our full investigative Podcasts: Radio Free Flint: The community perspective on industrial resilience. The Mitten Works: Labor history and economic policy analysis. Flint Justice: Legal and institutional analysis of the state's challenges. Visit Our Website for both Podcasts, Videos & Articles.

    3 min
  6. Flint’s 1937 Sit-down Strike Saved Wages, Work, and Democracy

    NOV 25

    Flint’s 1937 Sit-down Strike Saved Wages, Work, and Democracy

    The Flint Sit-Down Strike of 1936–37 wasn’t just a labor dispute — it was a turning point in American history. In this short documentary segment, former Genesee County Prosecutor Arthur Busch breaks down what really happened inside the Fisher Body plants, why the strike succeeded, and how Flint became the birthplace of modern union power. This video explores: The strategy workers used to shut down General MotorsHow the UAW was born inside the factory wallsWhy General Motors feared the sit-down tacticThe role of women’s brigades and community supportHow Flint’s labor victory shaped wages, work, and democracy for generationsThe sit-down strike wasn't about nostalgia — it was about power, dignity, and the fight for the American middle class. Its lessons are still relevant today as workers confront automation, corporate consolidation, and the changing nature of labor. If you want to understand Flint, Detroit, the Rust Belt, or the history of American work, it starts here. About This Channel This video is part of Radio Free Flint Podcast, a narrative documentary project exploring how Flint became a mirror for the American working class.  For more episodes and deep-dive storytelling, subscribe to The Mitten Channel. “When men and women are united in common purpose, there is no power in the world that can stop the forward march of free people.” — Walter Reuther #UAW #SitDownStrike #FlintMichigan #LaborHistory #WalterReuther #UnionStrong #TheMittenChannel We would like to hear from you! Send us a Text. 👉 Subscribe to Radio Free Flint Podcasts at The Mitten Channel: Don't miss our full investigative Podcasts: Radio Free Flint: The community perspective on industrial resilience. The Mitten Works: Labor history and economic policy analysis. Flint Justice: Legal and institutional analysis of the state's challenges. Visit Our Website for both Podcasts, Videos & Articles.

    1 min
  7. The Michigan Murderer: John Norman Collins and the Ypsilanti Terror

    NOV 14

    The Michigan Murderer: John Norman Collins and the Ypsilanti Terror

    He was handsome, popular, and lived the perfect fraternity life in Ann Arbor. But behind John Norman Collins’s all-American image lurked one of Michigan’s darkest secrets. In the late 1960s, a series of brutal murders terrorized the college towns of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Seven young women—mostly students—were abducted, raped, and murdered. The media called the killer “The Michigan Murderer.” In this Radio Free Flint episode, Arthur Busch interviews Gregory Fournier, author of Terror in Ypsilanti: John Norman Collins Unmasked. Fournier recounts how Collins became the prime suspect, how his crimes shattered the sense of safety near two major universities, and why prosecutors charged him with only one of the seven killings. Collins was ultimately convicted of the murder of Karen Sue Beineman, an 18-year-old Eastern Michigan University student. He received a mandatory life sentence, and his conviction was upheld on appeal. But many still ask: Why were the other murder cases never prosecuted? Fournier shares his extensive research into the evidence, police investigation, and unanswered questions that continue to haunt Michigan’s true-crime history. Fournier shares his extensive findings about these murders in our interview. The book "Terror in Ypsilanti: John Norman Collins Unmasked" is available at bookstores. Fournier, a Detroit native, is one of America's premier true crime authors. He has written several other books, including about Detroit's Purple Gang. -----------  Obtain a copy of the book "Terror in Ypsilanti: John Norman Collins Unmasked" by visiting your local bookstore or Amazon Books. To learn more about Gregory Fournier and other published true crime books, visit the Author's Website. -------- #RadioFreeFlint #JohnNormanCollins #MichiganMurderer #TerrorInYpsilanti #GregoryFournier #TrueCrimePodcast #MichiganHistory #AnnArbor #Ypsilanti #SerialKillerStories #FlintMichigan #ArthurBusch -------- We would like to hear from you! Send us a Text. The Mitten Channel is a network of podcasts.   👉 Subscribe to Radio Free Flint Podcasts at The Mitten Channel: Don't miss our full investigative Podcasts: Radio Free Flint: The community perspective on industrial resilience. The Mitten Works: Labor history and economic policy analysis. Flint Justice: Legal and institutional analysis of the state's challenges. Visit Our Website for both Podcasts, Videos & Articles.

    24 min
  8. Flint’s Coney Island Legacy: The Immigrant Story Behind a Michigan Icon

    NOV 13

    Flint’s Coney Island Legacy: The Immigrant Story Behind a Michigan Icon

    Few Flint residents know that one of the city’s most beloved traditions began with immigrants from a tiny mountain village in North Macedonia. In this episode of Radio Free Flint, host Arthur Busch welcomes Karen Paul Holmes, daughter of Carl Paul, co-founder of Angelo’s Coney Island—the restaurant that helped define Flint’s working-class culture for decades. Carl Paul came to America through Ellis Island from Bouf, Macedonia, near the border with Greece. Alongside his partner Angelo Nikoloff, he built a local landmark where factory workers, families, and students gathered for the now-legendary Flint-style Coney dog. Karen reflects on her family’s journey—from her father’s long days behind the grill to her teenage summers waitressing at Angelo’s. Through her poetry, she brings to life the spirit of perseverance, gratitude, and belonging that defines the immigrant story. She reads three deeply personal poems: A warm portrait of her father returning home after long days at the restaurantA tribute to his departure from Bouf, Macedonia, in search of the American dreamA lyrical meditation on Michigan’s lakes, cherry trees, and her father’s love for his adopted homeKaren’s second poetry collection, No Such Thing as Distance (Terrapin Books, 2018), even includes a near-recipe for Flint-style Coney sauce. Her poems have been read by Garrison Keillor on The Writer’s Almanac and by former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith on The Slowdown podcast. Her debut book, Untying the Knot (Aldrich Press, 2014), explores loss, love, and healing. Holmes’s work appears in over 100 literary journals and anthologies, and she was named Best Emerging Poet by Stay Thirsty Media. 🎧 Listen now to explore Flint’s immigrant heritage, the poetry of place, and the story of how a humble Coney Island became part of Michigan’s cultural DNA. 🔗 Links & References Karen Paul Holmes — Official Website No Such Thing as Distance — Terrapin Books The Writer’s Almanac — Episode Archive The Slowdown Podcast — Episode featuring Karen Paul Holmes Radio Free Flint — More Episodes We would like to hear from you! Send us a Text. The Mitten Channel is a network of podcasts.   👉 Subscribe to Radio Free Flint Podcasts at The Mitten Channel: Don't miss our full investigative Podcasts: Radio Free Flint: The community perspective on industrial resilience. The Mitten Works: Labor history and economic policy analysis. Flint Justice: Legal and institutional analysis of the state's challenges. Visit Our Website for both Podcasts, Videos & Articles.

    37 min
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4.9
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About

 The Mitten Channel is a Michigan podcast and media network created by former Genesee County Prosecutor Arthur Busch. We produce original programs that blend legal expertise, investigative storytelling, and deep Michigan history — including true crime analysis, environmental investigations, employee rights, and rich biographies rooted in Flint’s working-class culture.Our mission is to preserve Michigan stories, examine the systems that shape our communities, and give voice to the people who define our industrial past and future.Mitten Channel Podcast Shows:  Radio Free Flint, Flint Justice, The Mitten Works, Mitten Environmental and The Mitten Biography ProjectTo listen to full audio podcast interviews visit https://www.radiofreeflint.media  Radio Free Flint is a production of the Mitten Channel where you can find podcast shows Mitten Environmental, Flint Justice, The Mitten Works.  

Information

  • Creator
    The Mitten Channel
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    119
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Mitten Channel
  • Show Website
    The Mitten Channel